


Four Things

by Katraa



Category: Subarashiki Kono Sekai | The World Ends With You
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Future Fic, Gen, M/M, lots of feels, plot twist maybe, warning: feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-24
Updated: 2013-11-24
Packaged: 2018-01-02 12:10:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1056618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katraa/pseuds/Katraa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The angels had told Joshua four things he must abide by to remain Composer.  Too bad loopholes existed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Four Things

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote this a long time ago and figured I'd throw it up here.

There were certain stipulations that Joshua had to abide by when he returned the souls of the teenagers from the Reaper’s Game.

One, he take a few weeks off from running the game. Two, he find a new Conductor immediately. Three, he go to hearings by the Angel Council – miss one and he’d been stripped from his position, demoted, and working up in Heaven as a clerk. Four, and most importantly, he was not to keep contact with Neku Sakuraba.

The first three were easy enough.

The fourth?

It was a mockery.

Joshua found the loophole in the Angels’ words. He’d disguise himself, as another person completely, befriend his once-proxy, and all would be well. 

It worked, fairly well.

He was a skinny brunette with hair less spiky than Neku’s, but still with form, clothes that were still expensive, but regrettably another, imported brand, and his attitude was, for the most part, the same. He just had to cut back on the giggles, they’d be a dead giveaway, right?

So long as Neku did not find out it was him, he could mess around and watch his proxy grow, develop, and continue to brighten the world with his Imagination.

He assumed the identity of Jin, and Jin he was for four years. He never grew as close to Neku as Shiki and Beat, and Rhyme was a special case and like a little sister Neku never had, but he was close to the once Player. And that was good enough.

Neku’s Imagination brightened the darkest corners of Shibuya. It gave life to the crippling and deceased. His words and sharp perseverance were enough to destroy any foul Noise for a block’s radius. 

Neku had grown.

He was in college and much to Joshua’s disappointment, the boy wasn’t pursing anything that used his Imagination. He didn’t write Music, he didn’t pain or draw. No, all he did was read. Neku had wanted to be a teacher ever since he returned from the Reaper’s Game. He wanted to change lives – to make children like him open their eyes and their worlds. He wanted to make a difference.

Silly Neku never knew he had made all the difference already.

Joshua – Jin – was ever supportive, if not a bit bitter that Neku’s art would never see the light of day. He would never be suitable for a Producer of Conductor. Not like Neku would ever accept or realize Jin was actually Joshua.

Neku had made his own path and Joshua could do nothing about it.

Or could he…?

“Yo, you’re spacing out again, Jin. See something you like?”

Neku sat across from Joshua at the café downtown. He jabbed casually over his shoulder at a passing redhead who he assumed Jin had been staring at for a long while, not saying anything. When Joshua heard Neku, he perked up. His brows furrowed and he chuckled under his breath.

“You only wish,” he responded and casually looked down at his half-consumed meal. “It’s dry today.”

“It’s a sandwich.”

“The meat. The chicken is dry.”

Neku rolled his eyes. “You complain too much,” he sighed and shook his head. If only he’d realize how alike Jin and Joshua were.

“Mmm,” Joshua said and picked at his meal. “How was class?”

“Fine,” Neku answered, eating a chip mid-sentence, “I think I’m actually getting the hang of Communications. The theories, I mean.”

Joshua snickered under his breath and merely nodded, thankful for his bangs covering his shining eyes. “That’s good…” If he liked Neku as a teacher in the first place.

“Hey, Jin, I wanted to ask you something.”

Joshua perked up. Could he – he couldn’t possibly?

“It’s kinda serious…”

Had he finally realized it? Finally…? The torture was bad enough, but now Neku had to drag it out? Being Neku’s friend as Jin was great, but he wanted more. He wanted the freedom to be himself. He wanted to grow as a person, too.

There were so many things Joshua wanted. It was hard to put into words. Neku was a single person, and yet…  
Joshua wouldn’t deny he was attached. Perhaps to an unhealthy degree. 

He wouldn’t deny he was extremely attached, and that he was possessive and kept Neku from dating for a good year after the Game with his antics and meddling. It wasn’t his fault he wanted Neku all for himself. Perhaps not romantically but… he didn’t like to share.

And it wasn’t his fault he saw a world where Neku was his Conductor and they had this unspoken bond that involved bickering and understanding and pushing each other to grow and grow and maybe, just maybe, would end up against a table somewhere, hands groping, eyes shutting, minds racing, hearts beating –

He wouldn’t deny he was rather fond of Neku. No matter how much it pained him to think he still had that stupid capacity.

It wasn’t his fault his heart did a small leap when Neku said he had something to ask him. Just maybe…

Just maybe he’d get his cake and eat it too…?

“Yes, Ne-ku?”

“…I’m proposing to Shiki. I want you to be my best man.”


End file.
